What are the reasons behind this drop in ratings? Well, one of the main reasons is the lack of social media use in past years. Until last year’s telecast, a lack of social media tie-ins thwarted the Academy from achieving higher ratings. The Academy wasn’t harnessing the power of Oscar pools on online channels, using social networking sites (i.e. Facebook and Twitter) to keep viewers engaged in real-time, streaming videos backstage at the awards ceremony, or utilizing mobile technology.

This year, the Academy used social media to boost ratings and connect with the Gen Y Audience. Here are some of the ways the Academy used social media to gain viewers and engage with the audience:

• Streamed nominations live online at Oscars.org, and on the Academy’s Facebook page.
• Revamped website by hosting video and exclusive content from nominees, as well as widgets for Oscar pools and predictions.
• Oscars iPhone application launched in late February. Fans use the app to see how their Oscar predictions faired against others.
• The Academy will release behind-the-scenes footage from the preparations and rehearsals leading up to the 2010 telecast. The videos will also be syndicated to online video sites and digital out-of-home networks.

Do you think these social media tactics helped boost ratings for the 2010 Academy Awards show? Next year, you can expect to see Facebook and Twitter integration for real-time engagement with viewers.  What are some other tactics you think would help in 2011?

Middleberg Communications and the Society for New Communications Research last month released a study titled, “Media in the Wired World.” The research team surveyed U.S. journalists regarding their social media use and the study found some interesting results:

• Almost 70% of journalists are using social networking sites, which is a 28% increase since the 2008 study
• 48% are using Twitter or other microblogging sites and tools, a 25% increase since 2008
• 66% of the surveyed journalists are using blogs
• 25% of those surveyed are using podcasts
• 48% of journalists are using online video
• Over 90% of journalists agree that new media and communications tools and technologies are enhancing journalism to some extent

According to the study, reporters are embracing social media and are active on various social networking sites. This is great for us because we can build relationships with reporters and connect with them in real-time. Here at 451, we use Twitter and LinkedIn to follow media contacts. Both tools are useful to see what reporters are writing about, and to watch for potential opportunities to pitch our company and/or our clients.

Do you connect with reporters and journalists through social networking sites? Have some success stories to share? Let us know!

I remember when I updated my Interests at least once per month, was invited to events by non-promoters, didn’t have to sort through twelve page suggestions every day and could write on someone’s wall without worrying about it showing up on mutual friends’ news feeds. Those are definitely some things I miss, but I enjoy some of the new features as well. Now, the design is more user-friendly and search results are far more comprehensive. I can comment on other people’s wall posts and I can block certain parts of my profile from certain people. The site is certainly different.

I think it’s interesting how much social networking sites change in a short period of time and I’m excited to see what comes next. I’d assume a lot of the social networking sites will focus on mobile integration in 2010. What do you think? What’s next for social networking sites like Facebook?

-@cristinalepore

Buzz is Google’s newest way of showing it is committed to making Google “as social as the web itself.” It’s also a way for Google to directly compete with Facebook and Twitter.

Let’s take a look at some of the cool feature of this new service:

Source: http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/google-buzz-in-gmail.html

• Buzz will work through Google’s mail service, Gmail. It will allow users to post status updates, photos, and links to “friends,” or the people users email or chat with the most on Gmail.

• Users will be able to choose to make posts public or private, and they will receive new comments and updates in real-time.

Source: http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/google-buzz-in-gmail.html

• The service will also pull in activity on other sites like Google Reader, Twitter, Flickr and Picasa and have inbox integration, so updates will go directly to users’ email inboxes.

• The coolest thing, in my opinion and no offense to any of my friends, is the “Just the good stuff” feature. With this feature, Buzz recommends interesting posts and weeds out info a person is likely to skip.

What do you think of Google Buzz? Do you like the idea of having a more socialized email account?

-@cristinalepore

With over 45 million users representing more than 130 different industries around the world, LinkedIn is one of the fastest growing networking sites on the web. The best part about the site is that it enables users to build their professional profile and expand their network by making strategic connections, seeking recommendations from colleagues and participating in interactive polls and discussions.

As traffic on LinkedIn continues to rise, it becomes increasingly clear that the site will become a necessary tool for even the most passive job seekers and networkers. To help promote the existence of your profile and make it easier to connect with colleagues, contacts, industry leaders, clients and potential prospects or employers, follow these simple steps to learn how to insert a LinkedIn button into your personal email signature.

Step 1- Log-in to your LinkedIn Account

Step 2- Go to your “Accounts and Settings” option

Step 3- Click on your “Public Profile” (Halfway down the “Accounts and Settings” page)

Step 4- Under the “Public Profile” go to “Promote Public Profile” and click on “Customized Buttons”

Step 5- Copy the entire code for this button

Step 6- Open Notepad on your computer and paste the code into the document

Step 7- Under “Save As”, save the file name as “LinkedIn.html”, and change file type to “All Files”

Step 8- Open Outlook, go to “Tools” and click on “Options”

Step 9- Go to “Mail Format” and click on “Signatures”

Step 10- Click on “New”

Step 11- Click on “Use this file as template,” then select your saved file. Next, add your contact details as you would like them to read over your LinkedIn button.

Now you are done!!

We would like to know how inserting a LinkedIn button to your email has helped increase your connections on LinkedIn or otherwise helped to get you noticed. Please share your success stories.

-Brie Bellefeuille